NJCU NOW 9-1 AFTER 10 GAMES FOR SIXTH TIME IN 79 YEARS; KNIGHTS RALLY TO OUTLAST NAZARETH, 63-60
JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University trailed by three with 1:46 to play before junior guard/forward WALIK ALBRIGHT (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) tied the game with a driving layup for a three-point play and put the Gothic Knights in front with 34 seconds left before senior point guard KEITH WILLIAMS (Jersey City, NJ/Create Charter) clinched the game with four made free throws as NJCU rallied for a 63-60 non-conference win over Nazareth College on Saturday night on "Coach Charlie Brown Court" at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.
NJCU, which trailed by as many as nine points midway through the second half, comes from behind to improve to 9-1. The Knights are 9-1 after 10 games for only the sixth time in the 79-year history of the program and only the second time in a season following a New Jersey Athletic Conference championship (also in 1979-80).
Nazareth, itself with an impressive resume this season, including two wins over nationally-ranked University of Rochester, drops to 5-4. It was the first-ever meeting between NJCU and the Golden Flyers; the Knights are now 6-5 all-time against the current members of the Empire 8 Conference.
Meanwhile, NJCU improved to 5-0 at home this season and ran its home court streak to 19 wins in its last 21 home games since 2009-10. NJCU also won for the 21st time in its last 24 games since going on a tear at the end of the 2010-11 season.
Junior swingman KAIHRIQUE IRICK (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) carried the Knights during several spurts of the contest and finished with a career-best 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers (2-for-3) and five rebounds in 38 minutes. He exceeded 20 points for the fourth time this year.